Background: Autologous blood-patch pleurodesis (ABP) has been described as a treatment for persistent pneumothorax in the dog and in humans. Despite the treatment of persisting or recurring spontaneous pneumothorax is classically surgical, it cannot always be performed due to medical or financial constraints. This case series describes the clinical course, etiology, and outcome of 5 dogs with persistent pneumothorax treated with ABP.
Case Description: 5 client-owned dogs with persistent pneumothorax are presented. Two dogs had pneumothorax due to congenital pulmonary bullae, one due to thoracic trauma, another due to lungworm infection and a fifth with unknown cause in the context of a relapsing subcutaneous haemangiosarcoma. Around 5 mL/kg of non-coagulated blood was aseptically collected from the jugular vein and injected via thoracotomy tube immediately into the pleural cavity of dogs with persistent pneumothorax. The procedure was successful in 4 of 5 dogs after one procedure, therefore a success rate of 80%. A repeat pleurodesis was attempted in the fifth dog 12 hours after the first injection due to the recollection of the pneumothorax, but the dog died during anaesthesia in preparation for the procedure. No complications that could be directly linked to ABP occurred.
Conclusion: ABP is a simple, rapid, inexpensive, effective, and safe procedure that can be useful for the treatment of persistent pneumothorax that does not respond to conservative treatment and where surgical exploration cannot be performed. Pneumothorax secondary due trauma and congenital pulmonary bullae seem to respond well to ABP.
Key words: autologous blood-patch pleurodesis, dog, pleurodesis, pneumothorax
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